Eliminating Hazardous Chemicals From Textile Supply Chain

Background

The construction and fashion sectors are essential for fulfilling two of humanity's most basic needs: shelter and clothing. However, due to their large scale, both industries have substantial environmental impacts, including excessive land and resource use, chemical and waste pollution, and significant greenhouse gas emissions, all exacerbated by long, complex, and fragmented value chains. The GEF-8 Supply Chains Integrated Program (IP11), “Eliminating Hazardous Chemicals from Supply Chains”, seeks to drive transformational change in these sectors by replacing resource-intensive processes and materials with sustainable alternatives and fostering circular, transparent supply chains with a focus on chemical safety. Achieving this transformation requires innovative, integrated, and holistic interventions that ensure long-term impact beyond the lifespan of the GEF project.

Objectives

This project aims to address the barriers hindering environmentally sustainable practices in Mongolia's cashmere and leather industries by strengthening institutions and ensuring the sound management of hazardous chemicals. It seeks to transform supply chains by replacing resource-intensive chemical processes and materials with sustainable alternatives and significantly reducing or eliminating chemical waste, delivering environmental and economic benefits both nationally and globally.

Expected Results

Innovative, regenerative products are available and designed using circular business models.
Sustainably sourced, innovative, responsibly managed, recycled, and recyclable materials, regenerative or nature-based where possible, are used in products.
Production and manufacturing processes are transformed to require less water, energy, and no hazardous chemicals; produce less pollution and waste; and design for zero waste.
Markets for innovative products are created, and behaviour shifts favour longevity over unnecessary consumption.
Reverse logistics processes are implemented, which return products and materials back to manufacturers to reuse or recycle.
Accountability and adaptive management are ensured to track and maximize program results.